And Another One?...

So OK, I let all the chickens out of their coop a couple of days ago for two hours.  Two hours! When I went to herd them all back in, my little australorp was missing.  *Sigh* not another one!  I searched and searched for her up in the trees, under shrubs, in the next door neighbor's yard and finally concluded that the fox had carried her off. The new chickies are still small and would be easy pickings for a fox.

Anyway, this small, young un-named hen was gone and I couldn't believe that I'd been so irresponsible to let this happen.  I really liked her. I'd picked her up earlier in the day to admire her pretty feathers and took note of how calm she was.  She also has a habit of wandering away from the rest of the group which isn't always a good idea.

This little hen was on my mind much of the day.  I felt like a terrible chicken mom and I even thought I should find homes for my chickies since I can't seem to protect them very well.

Later that afternoon a most delightful occurrence.  I walked out my front door to find leaves and dirt and all kinds of debris on my front porch steps and walkway.  It startled me at first, then puzzled for 10 seconds more seconds more and then... I realized - a chicken did that!  I started looking under the bushes and behind plants and then I heard little chicken noises.  There she was!  That darn little australorp was poking around the front yard doing her business.  I was so relieved - and happy.  I scooped her up, tucked her under my arm and scolded her for running off and spending the night who knows where!

That's her, the runaway in the center looking to the left

Anyway, a Freecycler man that had come by earlier to pick up some plants, had come across her scratching around.  He said that it kind of freaked him out.  He said that he sat down on the steps and watched her, wondering what to do and finally just left thinking that it must be normal to have a little hen poking around in that front yard.

I guess it IS normal now.

And Another One Down...

This has not been a happy summer for my chickens.  Last night I lost another hen, this time my largest and in charge Chicky-Licky.  Everything was fine with her and the other chickens when I let them out into their enclosed area this morning.  They were all fine when I herded them back into their coop after having the local fox run in front of my car and head in the direction of my backyard.  There the chickens stayed all afternoon in the heat.  I turned on the mister for them and when I left for the evening and gave them their last bit of scratch, everyone, including Chicky-Licky was present and accounted for.

Chicky-Licky running free.

I was awakened abruptly at 1:30am to a terrible growling and squealing noise in the backyard grass area and looked out to see the shadowy figure of a raccoon. Raccoon!  Ack!  I quickly ran out and checked on the chickens and counted everyone -  checked the perimeter of the coop and all was well.  But Chicky Licky wasn't on her perch.   I could see her in one of the laying boxes which wasn't where she'd normally sleep.  I went in to check on her and she was gone.

I'm relieved that she wasn't a raccoon victim but what had happened?  She hadn't shown any signs of illness and she'd just layed a perfect egg the day prior. Whatever had happened, she'd gone into the laying box and had died there.  So, there I was digging another hole in my yard at 2am.

I sat outside on the patio thinking after she was buried.  Would the raccoons come back tonight?  What had happened to her?  I'll need to notify her next of kin, Libby, my nephew's girl.  Libby had given her to me about a year ago and she had fit right in as one of the hens at the top of the pecking order.  She even stepped into Mr. Peeper's role when he was killed, in alerting the other hens as to food sources with a distinctive sharp clucking noise.  Yes, she was a little aggressive to the new young hens but she was excused due to her being raised with dogs as her fellow chicken companions and, she was beginning to ease up.

I brought out the trap and set it with cat food for bait and then sat listening for about an hour to the night sounds,  hearing leaves rustle and twigs break hoping that I might catch another raccoon.  Finally, a dark shape appeared by one of the raised beds but it was only Kitty Black, the outdoor cat.   There is a lot of activity in my yard at night and I'm thinking about setting up a wildlife camera.

Well... it's 3:30am and I can't go back to sleep.  I'll miss you Chicky-Licky, like I miss all my sweet hens.